Aurora Colorado History

Aurora Colorado history started with a real estate boom in the late 1800s. In 1891, a Denver businessman named Donald Fletcher purchased four square miles of land east of Denver. He was so sure the investment would pay off, he name the town Fletcher.

In 1893, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed. The silver industry in Colorado began to decline and silver miners went on strike. The mines and smelters shut down. This had a huge impact on Aurora Colorado history. The community of Fletcher struggled to maintain its life. However, in 1907, Donald Fletcher skipped town leaving behind a huge water debt incurred by him. The inhabitants of Fletcher renamed their town Aurora in 1907 after Fletcher left town.

Aurora was the typical American small town. Grassy prairies to the east and the majestic Rocky Mountains to the west. This made it an idyllic town for its residents.

In 1918, Army Hospital 21 was built. In July 1920, the facility was renamed Fitzsimons Army Hospital. It was named for the first casualty of WW I, Lt. William T. Fitzsimons. Fitzsimons has had its share of famous people. President Eisenhower, whose wife, Mamie was from Denver, recuperated from a heart attack at Fitzsimons. Senator John Kerry was born here while his father was receiving treatment for tuberculosis. It now part of the new Anschutz Medical Campus.

By 1929, Aurora had grown to 2000 people and the Colorado Secretary of State recognized Aurora as a city.

After World War II, Aurora boomed as a bedroom community. Stapleton Airport, Buckley Field and Lowry Air Force Base made Aurora an easy commute to these locations. Aurora Colorado history now includes a number of military men and women.

Aurora has done a wonderful job of preserving building and artifacts from its past history.

The Aurora Fox Arts Center on Colfax is a former movie theater built in 1946. The City of Aurora has added it as a performing arts facility within the Aurora Cultural Arts District.

The Aurora History Museum is a must. The museum has done a wonderful job of preserving past structures. Two great, early structures are Centennial House and DeLaney Farm Round Barn. These are open to the public.

Centennial House located at 1671 Galena St. was built in 1890 by Donald Fletcher, the founder of Aurora. This is a great part of Aurora Colorado History.

DeLaney Farm Round Barn located at 170 S. Chamber Road was built in 1901. John DeLaney became the toll collector at the gate where the old wagon road running west to Denver crossed the creek.